City Manager's Update

January 9, 2013

January 7, 2013

City Clerk’s Office

· Recruitments - Recruitment for the Finance Advisory Committee will close at 5 pm on Thursday, January 17. Also, the recruitment for the newly-formed Fiesta La Ballona Committee will be officially opened on Thursday, January 10. Information on both of these open recruitments can be found on the City’s website.

Community Development Department

· Tilden Terrace – The Tilden Terrace project continues to make good progress toward completion. The project is now 55.5% complete, with an expected completion date of May 31. City staff continues to work with the developer, Los Angeles Housing Partnership, and the construction company, Dreyfuss, to address all neighborhood concerns regarding noise, dust and parking. A community meeting is projected for January to detail the construction of the intersection improvements and the impact on parking and street access.

· Globe Avenue Project – CDD staff received notification from the State Department of Finance (DOF) on Friday, December 28, 2012 regarding the Meet and Confer for the Globe Avenue Project. The Meet and Confer is scheduled for January 23 in Sacramento. This meeting will make the final determination if the Globe land will remain with the Housing Authority, as the Housing Assets Successor to the former Redevelopment Agency.

· Committee on Homelessness – The meeting of the Committee on Homelessness was held Tuesday, January 8. Discussion was on the 2013 Homeless Count.

· 2013 Homeless Count – The 2013 Homeless Count is scheduled for Wednesday, January 30 from 8 pm to midnight. The deployment location is the Senior Center. The Committee on Homelessness has formed a subcommittee that is responsible for coordinating this event. Notices soliciting donations of refreshments and volunteers are currently being distributed to local organizations and citizens.

· Irving Place – Project is approximately 49% complete, on schedule and on budget. The project is scheduled for completion in May..

Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department

· Culver City Events – The City celebrated its 95th Anniversary with a free screening of MGM’s “A Night at the Opera,” starring the Marx Brothers, on December 29, 2012. Nearly 200 people attended the screening in the Veterans Memorial Building and the Culver City Historical Society opened its Archive Resource Center to the public prior to the event. Staff received a great deal of positive response from the attendees about what a wonderful time they had and how much they appreciated the program.

Police Department

· Star Prep Academy Visits the Police Department - On December 3, 2012 Julie Tunador, MSFS, CCSI (Forensic Specialist), provided a tour of the forensic lab and gave a presentation to the students of the Star Prep academy. Ms. Tunador provided several workstations where the students were able to conduct their own forensic analysis on non-crime related items. The students learned a lot and appreciated the anecdotes, connections to real-life work of forensic specialists, and the warm attitudes of everyone they met.

· Village Glen School Gets Tour - On December 7, 2012 children from the Village Glen School came to the Police Department for tour and brief class on safety.

Public Works Department

· Invitation to Jefferson Boulevard Streetscape and Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Improvements Project at Hetzler Road Dedication Event – To celebrate the completion of the Jefferson Boulevard Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Improvements Project, the City invites the public to a dedication ceremony on Friday, January 18 at 10 am at the small parking lot on Jefferson Boulevard, just west of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Entrance at Jefferson Boulevard and Hetzler Road.

The Jefferson Boulevard Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Improvements Project has created a more comfortable way for cyclists and pedestrians to access the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and the surrounding area. Some of the specific improvements that were completed as part of this project include: a new traffic signal with high visibility crosswalks at the intersection of Jefferson Boulevard and Hetzler Road; curb extensions at the intersection of Jefferson Boulevard and Hetzler Road; sidewalks filling the gap in existing sidewalks on Jefferson Boulevard near the entrance to the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook; raised landscaped median islands on Jefferson Boulevard near the entrance to the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook; bike lanes from approx. Duquesne Avenue to Holdrege Avenue; and improvements to the small parking lot area where the City is holding the ceremony.

· Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance– On December 10, 2012, The City Council directed staff to pursue an Ordinance banning plastic single-use carryout bags and requiring that covered retailers charge for paper single-use carryout bags. Staff is currently working to finalize the details of the Ordinance and retain a consultant to prepare the necessary environmental document, which is anticipated to be an Addendum to the Los Angeles County Environmental Impact Report (EIR). It is anticipated that it will take several months to complete the Addendum EIR and Ordinance, and that staff will be prepared to present these documents to the City Council for their consideration in late spring or early summer.